The Art of Being Right: 38 Ways to Win an Argument - Arthur Schopenhauer

Have you ever stopped to think that your life will only take a real turn when you learn how to sell your ideas? In this summary of the book "The Art of Being Right: 38 Ways to Win an Argument", written by Arthur Schopenhauer, you will understand how to succeed in debating ideas and how to increase your credibility with bosses, coworkers and customers.

Overcoming shyness and nervousness in the face of contrary opinions is entirely possible when you apply simple persuasion techniques.

Do you want to know the details? Come on, let's explain everything!

About the book "The Art of Being Right: 38 Ways to Win an Argument"

The book "The Art of Being Right: 38 Ways to Win an Argument", by Arthur Schopenhauer, was published in 2014.

The book has 128 pages covering the basic concepts of dialectics and strategies aimed at people who want to learn how to defend their ideas and to protect themselves from opponents.

Approved by professionals in many fields, this book is recognized for bringing together the best "tricks" used in the art of persuasion.

About the author Arthur Schopenhauer

Arthur Schopenhauer was a German philosopher who lived between 1788 and 1860, and graduated in Philosophy from the Humboldt University of Berlin. He is considered one of the most important names of the 19th Century.

Besides philosophy, Schopenhauer's works exerted a great influence on literature, psychology, the arts and other fields of knowledge. Other books of this author that deserve to be highlighted are:

• "The Essays of Arthur Schopenhauer: The Art of Literature";
• "On the Basis of Morality";
• "The World as Will and Representation".

To whom is this book indicated?

The strategies presented in the book "The Art of Being Right: 38 Ways to Win an Argument" can be of great benefit to business leaders, salespeople, negotiation process professionals, consultants, lawyers, and anyone who needs to sell their ideas in any way.

After all, who wouldn't want to be able to win any debate?

Main ideas of the book "The Art of Being Right: 38 Ways to Win an Argument"

• Dialectics is the art of arguing so as to be right. That is, it's all about exercising the power of convincing;
• Knowing how to exploit weaknesses and confuse the argument taken by the opponent is the cornerstone for winning a debate;
• It's possible to weaken the opponent and disqualify arguments by using simple techniques such as using the exception to destroy the thesis;
• Winning the audience is essential to destabilizing the opponent and convincing people more easily;
• Personal attacks can only be used (or carried on) as a last resort.

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Overview: Dialectic Concepts

In the first chapter of the book "The Art of Being Right: 38 Ways to Win an Argument", Arthur Schopenhauer discusses some important concepts about dialectics and shows which elements are essential in a debate.

Can you imagine what are they?

Logic x Dialectic

While logic is linked to objective truth, dialectics focuses on defending claims, although they are not apparently logical.

According to the author Arthur Schopenhauer, this objective truth should not always be taken to the letter since, in most cases, opponents themselves are not sure whether they are absolutely right.

The basis of the debate

As explained in the book "The Art of Being Right: 38 Ways to Win an Argument", every debate basically covers argument and refutation. Regarding the argument, it can be linked to the question presented or the opponent.

Regarding refutation, it can be direct or indirect.

In direct refutation, the "attacks" are made to the thesis. In indirect refutation, however, the "attacks" are directed to the consequences of the thesis.

Overview: Essential Strategies

At this point of the book "The Art of Being Right: 38 Ways to Win an Argument", the essential strategies are taught so that you can defend your ideas and win the debate without major difficulties.

Explore weaknesses and confuse argument

The author Arthur Schopenhauer reveals that to win a debate or discussion of ideas, one must identify and explore all the weaknesses of the opponent.

To find these points, one of the tips is to see which answers or statements he has the most difficulty arguing or attempts to escape.

To confuse the argument, the best strategy is to give it a completely different meaning from what has been put forward, presenting a rebuttal in a way not expected by the opponent.

Get indirect agreement

For the ideas or statements you defend to gain strength, your opponent must agree with them indirectly (since he will hardly agree directly). To do this, the strategy is to ask broad sense questions at once.

This makes a slower and inattentive opponent admit certain arguments without even realizing that he is agreeing with you.

Use practice to invalidate theory

Another of the strategies taught by the author Arthur Schopenhauer is to use one or more practical examples to invalidate part or all of the theory presented by the opponent.

To do this, a tip is always to start the argument with the phrase "what works in theory doesn't always work out in practice", and then link a simple example to illustrate this statement.

Don't take risks when the "game" is won

According to the book "The Art of Being Right: 38 Ways to Win an Argument", once the opponent accepts his statements directly or indirectly, it isn't necessary to seek further confirmation or prolong the debate.

This is the golden opportunity to put your truths as absolute and start a favorable conclusion to your ideas.

Overview: Some Techniques You Should Use

These techniques complement strategies and are most relevant when selling ideas and doing well in a debate.

Use exception to destroy the thesis

The author Arthur Schopenhauer teaches that a single case not applied to the statement is sufficient to overturn the opponent's argument. This is because the mere existence of an exception demonstrates that the statement is not absolutely true.

Show the fragility of the evidence

Pointing out the weakness of the evidence presented by the opponent is a technique widely used by lawyers. When an opponent points out bad evidence to support a statement, it's much easier to deconstruct his thesis and highlight his arguments or ideas.

Make the opponent's claim inconsistente

As explained by the author Arthur Schopenhauer, you can make the claim of the opponent inconsistent when performing inductions or distortions of the ideas presented by him, drawing other statements that would never be mentioned by the opponent.

To stand out in the debate, the ideal is that these extracted statements are considered absurd or dangerous. This demonstrates that the thesis defended by the opponent may have bad consequences.

Overview: Winning Audience Sympathy

At this point of the book "The Art of Being Right: 38 Ways to Win an Argument", the author Arthur Schopenhauer teaches how to gain audience sympathy and make it your ally during the debate.

Mock the opponent's statement

Treating the opponent's claim as ridiculous is one of the most widely used techniques to captivate the audience, especially when the audience doesn't master the debated subject.

By presenting an objection focusing on the ridiculousness of the thesis, the tendency is to provoke laughter in people. This makes the opponent's arguments weakened.

Overview: The personal attack as a last resource

This section of the book "The Art of Being Right: 38 Ways to Win an Argument" addresses the advantages, dangers, and how to defend against personal attacks that may occur in a "hotter" debate.

When is the attack a resource?

For the author Arthur Schopenhauer, personal attack can be used when one notices that the opponent is superior and that the probability of doing poorly in the debate is high. This requires adopting harsher and more offensive statements and dropping the focus of the discussion.

The danger of these attacks

As explained in the book "The Art of Being Right: 38 Ways to Win an Argument", depending on the level of personal attacks, humiliations and outrages are generated and may end in legal proceedings.

Moreover, those who directly attack the opponent end up showing weakness of arguments.

How to defend against personal attacks?

As stated by the author Arthur Schopenhauer, the best strategy for defending against personal attacks is to be very cold-blooded, keep calm and make it clear to the opponent that such attacks have nothing to do with the subject of the debate.

Ignoring insults and focusing on arguments demonstrates balance. And this attitude naturally convinces the audience.

What do other authors say about it?

Roger Dawson, in his book "Secrets of Power Negotiating", reveals his tactics for getting along in a negotiation. He points out that most negotiation happens through nonverbal communication - that is, body language.

In "Pre-Suasion", the author Robert Cialdini delves into the idea of personal marketing by providing tools on how to influence people on their ideas, and thus ensure good negotiation.

Lastly, in the work "Getting to Yes", the authors Roger F., William U. and Bruce P. feature proven tools and techniques that can help you solve problems and find ways to negotiate.

Okay, but how can I apply this to my life?

Once you know the strategies and techniques for winning a debate, now you can apply these practical tips:

• Pay attention to the weaknesses of your opponent's argument;
• Always defend your ideas, however illogical they may seem;
• Have "cold blood" and never get carried away by personal attacks;
• Win the sympathy of the people who listen to you;
• Use practical examples to strengthen your arguments;
• Throw exceptions that disqualify your opponent's thesis.

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